DEFECTS IN STAINLESS STEEL

A Metallurgical Perspective

CHANDRA P. AGRAWAL

R&D
 Topics to Be Covered

1.
1.What
Whatis
is the
thedefect?
defect?

2.
2. Defects
Defectscoming
coming in
instainless
stainlesssteel
steel

3.
3.Metallurgical
Metallurgicaldefects
defects

4.
4. SEM
SEMStudy
Studyof
ofmetallurgical
metallurgical defects
defects

5.
5. Summary
Summary
 What is the Defect?

A mark or flaw that spoils the appearance

of Stainless Steel.
A lack of or abnormality in something
necessary surface of stainless steel for
normal functioning; a deficiency or
imperfection.
 DEFECTS COMING IN STAINLESS STEEL

TEXT
COLD TEXT
SMS HOT ROLLING MECHANICAL
DEFECTS ROLLING
DEFECTS DEFECTS DEFECTS

Sliver C Sliver B White patches Poor Coiling

Sliver S Digs & Gouges Brush Chatter Inter wrap scratches
TiN segregation Scale Pit Buckling Rolled scratches
Pitting Dents Telescopicity
Rolled In scale Edge Crack
Pinching
ILP Mark
IMR Mark
Roll chatter mark
Roll Mark
 Metallurgical Defects

Sliver - C

Scale pit
Sliver - S

TiN
segregation
Sliver - B
Rolled in scale
 Sliver - C

C Type of sliver is a casting defect.

This defect mainly comes in the stainless steel due to

mould flux entrapment, insufficient flotation of
inclusions in the mould.

Appearance of the defect is chiller type, due to non metallic

inclusions (mould flux) embedded underneath.

Generally defect length is 30 -1000 mm, width 5 - 25

mm.

This type of sliver is observed on any place of the coil

(randomly located across the width & length of the coil).
 Sliver - C

During the study of lamination in Scanning Electron Microscope

we get K, Na, Si, Al, Mg, O. A typical photograph(Fig.1 & Fig.2)
of the defect is shown below.
Sliver - C
 Discussion on C type Sliver

Mould flux is coming in the cast slab due to:-

If casting speed changes more frequently (example 0.90
to 0.60 meter/minute or 0.60 0.90 meter/minute) then
more chances for mould flux entrapped in the cast and
cause C-Type of sliver.

If casting temperature is maintained to higher side (for
304 grade casting temperature is 1500 degree C & for
430 grade casting temperature is 1550 degree C) then
less chances of mould flux coming in the cast.

First & last slab of the sequence, do more grinding to
avoid C Type of sliver.

Open shroud casting

AMLC fluctuations.

Metal level in mould.
 Sliver -S

S Type of sliver are slivers due to ladle slag

inclusions.
Appearance of the defect is generally as fine
lines. Some of the seams are thick also.
Generally defect length is 10-40mm long, 50-250
m wide &1-2 mm thick.
These seams are present at random location of
the coil.
The reason of this kind of sliver is ladle slag. In
the analysis of seam non metallic inclusions of
oxides of Al, Mg, SI, Ti are observed.
Sliver - S
 Discussion on S type of sliver

S type of sliver is coming due to ladle

slag. Ladle slag should not come in the
tarnish so the slag detection system
should work effectively.
Check & control oxygen percentage in the
product to control S type of sliver.
 Sliver - B

B Type of sliver is balance type of slivers.

Appearance of the defect is either arrow head
(tong type) or line type varying in length, severity.
The reason of the defect is grain boundary
oxidation/grain boundaries breakage/high
N2/chemistry imbalance & high sulfur in the fuel
used in re-heating furnace.
Always check process parameters to know
whether this defect is due to chemistry imbalance
or due to reheating furnace conditions
In the analysis of this defect we get high
Cr,Mn,Si,O ( Scale composition)
Sliver - B
 Discussion on B type of sliver

Delta ferrite:- JSL maintains Austenitic stability factor A(Gamma) for

balancing of delta ferrite. JSL aim A(Gamma) range in -0.5 0.5. the
formula of A(Gamma) is the following:
A (Gamma) = 30(C+N) + 0.5 Mn + Ni -1.3 Cr + 11.8

If A (Gamma) increases then delta ferrite decreases. If A (Gamma)

decreases than delta ferrite increases. C, Mn, N, Ni is austenitic
stabilizers & Cr is ferrite stabilizers

If A (Gamma) < -1.3 then more delta ferrite & more

chances of B type of sliver to occur. If A (Gamma) is > 0 then delta
ferrite is less, then also more chances to B Type slivers occurs.

In 310S less delta ferrite, so more chances of B Type slivers occurs.

The occurrence of the B type of sliver
310S > 316L > 304 stainless steel
More B type Sliver
 Discussion on B type of sliver

Sulfur in the chemistry:-

Aimed sulfur is as low as possible, generally
aims sulfur < 0.004 % to avoid B type of slivers in 316.
Sulfur reduces the strength of the grain boundaries so
during hot rolling grain boundaries cracks and some
mouth opening occurs, in further hot rolling that mouth
open completely & B type sliver occurs

Nitrogen:-
Nitrogen gives more strength to grains, in the hot
rolling if grain strength is more & grain boundaries week,
then crack occurs at grain boundaries. This cracks open
up in bigger way in the subsequent rolling, In 304 grade
aim Nitrogen is 300 PPM to avoid balance sliver.
 Discussion on B type of sliver

Addition of boron
Addition of boron helps to make compound with Cr
(Cr2B), due to this compound grain boundaries are more
strengthened. This compound is taking care of more
sulfur in chemical composition or more sulfur in reheating
furnace fuel.

Reheating temperature/ reheating furnace holding

time-
If reheating temperatures are high, then grain boundary
oxidation occurs. Such factors like high holding
temperature, high holding time leads to more grain
boundaries oxidation. This causes balance sliver (B type
of Sliver).
 Why B type sliver comes generally at the edges?

B type sliver generally comes at the edges

because due to high S in the reheating
furnace oil or high soaking temperature or
soaking time, grain boundaries becomes
weak. The rolling stress are more at the
edges rather than in the center( shown in
the Fig.) so week grain boundaries are
more quickly opened up in rolling at the
edges rather than in the center of the coil.
 Why B type sliver comes generally at the edges?

NSK calculates the surface stress in rolling direction by Finite

element method. In the calculation of surface stress in rolling
direction is more at the edges than in center.
 Ti-N Streaks

This defect is coming only Ti stabilized grades

like 409-Ti,321.
Appearance of the defect is like rolled in
scale.
This defect is mainly comes in the middle of
the coils width.
The reason of the defect is Ti-N segregation.
 Ti-N Streaks

Some photographs of microscopic picture of Ti-N are shown below

 Scale Pit

Scale pit as appears as rough pitted surface of

stainless steel with sediments of scale in the
bottom side of the pitted portion.
There are four type of scale growth on Steckle
mill:
1. Primary scale: the scale crated in the furnace
during heating.
2. Secondary scale: the scale grown during the
rolling in the roughing mill after the primary
scale has been removed.
 Scale Pit

3. Tertiary scale: the scale formed during the

rolling in the finishing mill after the
secondary scale has been removed.
4. Oxide: the final oxide formation is a
combination of the tertiary scale that was
not rubbed off by the work rolls during
rolling, and the additional scale growth
which occurs in the finishing mill, on the
runout table , and the inside the coils
while cooling.
 Scale Pit

The cause of Scale pit are followings:

1. Headend & tailend scale: High slab
speed under the descaler on the head
end of the slab on descaler close to the
mill.
2. Secondary scale: failure of the descaling
system,plugged nozzles, spray
interference, low lead angle,offset angles
not used correctly, or not containing the
rebound water and scale.
 Scale Pit

3. Heat Pattern Scale: is sometimes called fleck

scale normally occurs on the middle of the coil
on steckle mills where the strip is hotter. The
mechanics of the formation is the creation of a
thick tertiary scale, then the reduction fractures
this scale,and slides one particle on the another
particle. This forms a double layer of scale which
does not elongated during their reduction.
Comes out after annealing & pickling and looks
as scale pit.
4. Inadequate high pressure in water descaling in
steckle mill.
 Rolled in scale

A surface defect which contains rolled scale

the surface of stainless steel.
The cause of the rolled in scale is following:
Stainless steel does not oxidizes as fast
as carbon steel, so that major problem is
primary scale that is formed in the
furnace & not come out after descaling.
Increasing the rougher descaler power
will give the greatest benefits.
Excessive reheating time/temperature.
 SEM STUDY OF THE DEFECTS(Type-C)

Sliver C

Ca Spectrum 1
K

O
Cr
Fe
F Al
Na Si Fe
Ca
Ni Cr Fe
S K Cr Ni Ni

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Full Scale 1759 cts Cursor: 11.779 keV (4 cts) keV
 Sliver- S

Ca Spectrum 2

O
Cr
Fe
Mn
Mn
Fe

Cr
Ni Si
Cr
Al
Ca Fe
Mg S Mn
Ni Ni

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Full Scale 2408 cts Cursor: 7.907 keV (11 cts) keV
 Sliver -B

Mn Spectrum 1
Fe

O
Cr
Cr
Mn
Fe

Ni
Cr
Fe
Si Mn Ni
Ni

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Full Scale 2617 cts Cursor: 0.000 keV keV
 Summary

Defects always give big impact on the company

profits, dispatches.
Defects give big COPQ

BY THE DISCIPLINE IN THE PROCESS WE

CAN AVOID THE DEFECTS AND MAKE OUR
PRODUCTS WORLD CLASS